They had a three-day bootcamp that produced amazing output which included paper made out of banana leaves, a plate made out of recycled plastic and new product packaging designs for our native products like the kalamay (a sticky sweet delicacy made out of coconut milk, glutinous rice and brown sugar) and tableya (basically tablets of pure ground cacao beans). They taught the Bohol island State University (venue hosts of the FabLab) students and many small and medium business owners in Bohol how to use the new equipment being brought in like the 2D laser cutter and 3D printer.

I wasn't able to attend said bootcamp unfortunately since we were informed about this big event late but I'm glad we were able to attend the Symposium at the end, at least. We also got to pitch StartupWeekend Bohol to them since the events have so similar advocacies!

FabLab's motto was Learn.Make.Share. And in my opinion, you can't actually Make, or Learn for that matter, if you don't have the right people with you or if you don't have the right business model. What's the point of making a prototype if you hadn't even tested out your idea yet. The two events should get MARRIED, I tell you!

If you're planning on setting up a business yourself, you can go to StartupWeekend, find the right people and test out your idea. If all that's said and done (and after you win said event) you can go ahead to the FabLab, attend the bootcamp to learn how to work the machines, and create a working prototype! Due to the plans made in SW, you would be cost-efficient, time-efficient and confident about what you're doing and viola! Millions!

The timeline might not actually be that way but I can be optimistic. I haven't attended an actual FabLab bootcamp yet (but I plan to, oh yes, I will CHARGE INTO THE NEXT EVENT) so my knowledge is still really shallow on what it's all about but based on my first impressions at the symposium, that is like the ultimate opportunity for current and future business owners. I mean COME ON! Can't you see the beauty?!